TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART 1: The Basis for Clutter ………………………………………………………………..2

Find Your Reason …………………………………………………………………………….3
Clutter Goals + Timeline …………………………………………………………..………….6

PART 2 : Getting Started ……………………………………………………………………7

Jump Start : Whole House Quick Declutter …………………………………………….7
50 Things You Can Toss Today …….………………………………………….………..……8

PART 3 : The Declutter Process …………………………………………………………...10

Declutter Jumpstart ……………………………………………………………….…….…..11
Declutter Order …….…..……………………………………………………………………13
Clutter Task Checklist …….…..…………………….…………………………….………….15

PART 4 : Put an End to Paper Clutter …….…..………………..…………………………16

Recommendations for Going Paper-Less …….…..…………………………….………17
A Plan For Paper …….…..……………………………………………..……………………18
Paper Clutter Checklist…….…..……………………………………...……………………18
How Long to Keep It For Guidelines …….…..…………………………….…………..…20

PART 5 : Maintaining a Decluttered Home …….…..………………………….………21

Systems to Put In Place …….…..…………..………………………...…………….………23

PART 6 : Resources and Checklists ....….…..…………………………….…...……..…..25

Resources page ...…………………………….…...……..…………………………………25
Clutter Checklist …………………….…….…..…………………………….…………..…..26
Keep, Toss, Donate, Relocate pages …….…..……………………...….………..…27-30
Toss, File, Shred pages ....….…..…………………………….…...……..……………...31-33
Clutter Task Checklist ....….…..…………………………….…...……..…………………..34
Declutter Order Checklist ....….…..…………………………….…................…..…..35-37
Paper Clutter Checklist ....….…..…………………………….…....................…..…..38-39
Clutter Calendar for the Week....….……………………………….…................….…..40
Clutter Calendar for the Month .….……………………………….…................….…..41
Filing System Guide…………....….……………………………….….................….…..42-43

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 THE BASIS OF CLUTTER

If you’re drowning in clutter, sick of dealing with it, or somewhere in between, I

am here to tell you that you can live in a clutter-free home. Surfaces don’t have
to be filled, you can create white space, and you can come home at the end of
a long day and feel relaxed as you enter your home. Inviting people into your
home will no longer be a stressful situation. The piles don’t have to stay on your
counters, you can find your clothes quickly, and you’ll be able to locate and you’ll
gain time and energy as you go about your life. Clutter takes hold in our lives and
just plain makes life a little harder than it needs to be.

Everyone has clutter or the potential of clutter. This guide will give you a simple
approach and steps to eliminate it once and for all. You won’t need to read
through a book to get started. Start right away on the next page and you’ll be
off and decluttering right away.

Here’s how THE CLUTTER HANDBOOK is structured to help you find success in
decluttering you home:

1. Learn to declutter ruthlessly and in a way that makes sense for your
schedule, home, and current clutter situation.
2. Set up systems to effectively deal with your existing clutter.
3. Learn how to navigate incoming clutter.
4. Deal with clutter daily so it never piles up again.

THE CLUTTER HANDBOOK is a step-by-step manual for decluttering your home.

I’ve simplified my own personal decluttering method into an approachable
system perfect for busy households and people with a time budget. Let’s face it
– if you don’t have time, that might be why your home is cluttered in the first place.
You might have piles and stacks of stuff that’s been waiting for you to sort through

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for years or maybe it’s just piled up in the last weeks or months during a particularly
busy season of life. Whatever your current state of clutter is, you’re going to get
to the bottom of it and get rid of it for good.

Your own reasons for clutter probably stem from busyness, falling behind on tasks,
a move, or an illness, having little ones, working, having a spouse that doesn’t
view stuff the same as you do, and just being overwhelmed with where to start.
With a simple process, clutter will no longer take hold in your home. I am so
excited to share my decluttering methods and tips and tricks with you. This
handbook is for anyone that is overwhelmed, doesn’t know where to start AND
needs or wants someone else to show them the way to a clutter-free home. You’ll
find a realistic and doable approach to clearing out the clutter once and for all.
You can completely declutter your home but if you don’t put systems in place to
deal with the clutter on a daily basis you’ll be back to a cluttered home in days
or weeks. Follow my plan and declutter your home, set up systems that work for
your home and family, and you’ll slowly but surely learn how to keep the clutter
away for good.

FIND YOUR REASON

We all start out excited and then it’s hard to make those changes and the
changes fall by the wayside and it’s back to our old habits. This time is different –
prepare yourself for a life-changing whole house declutter. Are you ready?

Make this time different. Make small changes. Give yourself grace. Keep going.

But before you start, I want you to find YOUR reason to declutter. Why is this
important and necessary? Recognizing WHY you need this exercise in getting rid
of stuff is just as important as doing the decluttering itself. Focus on why you want

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this and you’ll be more likely to continue the process when it gets tedious and
boring and you’re just kind of sick of it.

CLUTTER is on something that’s on my to do list every single day. Why? I have to

deal with it daily so it doesn’t take over. While I might have a handful of reasons
to declutter in the first place, the reality of too much clutter and how it makes me
feel is reason enough to prioritize it as a daily task. That to me is the secret to
keeping clutter away for good. In case you aren’t sure of your reason to
declutter, here are a couple well-known reasons to declutter to get you started
in the process of finding your own reason.

1. SAVE TIME – No looking for things that you can’t find because everything has
a place and a home.
2. SAVE MONEY – No more re-purchasing items that you have and cannot
find. Use what you have in your home before purchasing. Get creative, you
might be surprised at some treasures you forgot about.
3. GAIN SPACE – Clutter takes up space in your home and mind. Every square
inch of your home does not need to be filled up. You can have an empty
drawer, cupboard, or bookshelf. Stop trying to fill in every nook and cranny
and leave some breathing room in your home.
4. LESS STRESS – I feel crabby and stressed when there’s clutter and visual noise
in our home. Decluttering makes it less stressful and more relaxing to be in
our home.
5. FEEL MORE ORGANIZED – That organized feeling you are looking
for? Decluttering will get you there. You’ll know where things are, you won’t
be searching aimlessly anymore and you’ll enjoy opening up cupboards and
drawers instead of feeling fearful of what might fall out on you. And just in
case you’re wondering, decluttering IS NOT organizing. Decluttering comes
first!

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 6. WELCOME OTHERS – If you’ve felt uncertain, anxious, or nervous about
welcoming others into your home, decluttering will help to get you beyond
that place of fear. You can open your door and your home relaxed knowing
that you aren’t having people move things around to sit down and you won’t
be afraid to open a closet in front of a guest, unsure of what they might find
behind that closed door.

What are your top three reasons to declutter?

• ________________________________________________________________________

• ________________________________________________________________________

• ________________________________________________________________________

When will you complete your decluttering?

Once you are on board with doing the process of decluttering, the next step is
deciding when you will complete your decluttering. You probably know why you
haven’t committed to decluttering in the past, so let’s circumvent those obstacles
and write down a plan. Realistically, 30 days is probably an average completion
period for a mostly decluttered home. This is taking time daily to work on clutter
and really committing to the process. It’s possible to get it done in a shorter period
of time as well or it might take you longer. Give yourself a goal and work towards
it to the best of your ability. Involve anyone and everyone and work at it as much
as possible and you’ll make quick progress and see and feel amazing results right
away.

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 clutter Goals + timeline
Let’s take some time to plan this out and decide WHY you need or want to
declutter. Determining your why is important and critical to the success of your
decluttering.

What are your top three reasons to declutter? Are you just sick of the mess or do
you want to sell some items you don’t use anymore? Maybe you are moving soon
and you know that an uncluttered home sells faster.

JOT DOWN YOUR REASONS HERE AND GET MOTIVATED TO MAKE SOME REAL CHANGES:

• ________________________________________________________________________

• ________________________________________________________________________

• ________________________________________________________________________

WHEN WILL YOU COMPLETE THE DECLUTTERING?

TIMEFRAME – how long do you want this to take? Think realistically but challenge
yourself to complete the decluttering as quickly as you can so you don’t lose your
momentum. What’s your goal? _______________________________________________

WHEN – when will you work on your decluttering? Mornings, evenings, over a
weekend? ___________________________________________________________________

WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE TO DO THE HARD WORK OF DECLUTTERING?

Are there any adjustments that need to be made to put an end to the clutter? A
shopping freeze or getting others involved – take note of any changes here:

______________________________________________________________________________

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 GETTING STARTED
Now that you’ve figured out WHY and WHEN you will declutter, the hardest part
of decluttering is just getting started. Once you get started I hope you find that it
gets easier and easier with each bag you fill. The decluttering process can be
difficult because it takes time and it’s hard to go back through things and relive
memories as you decide what you’re going to keep and what you’re going to
toss. Instead of getting caught up in memorabilia, you’re going to start with a
whole house quick declutter. This isn’t a comprehensive declutter, this is simply a
way to get a little momentum going as you get started. Set a timer for 10-15
minutes, grab 3 garbage bags and try to fill them up with things that you can toss
or donate. You’ll see that this quick declutter is also listed on the main DECLUTTER
CHECKLIST in Part 6. Print out the checklist, do a quick whole house declutter,
check off each task and keep decluttering as quickly as you can.

JUMP START: WHOLE HOUSE QUICK DECLUTTER

Once you’ve filled up a bag, put an X through a circle on the bag checklist in the
checklist section of this guide – it’ll be fun to see on paper how many bags and
boxes you’ve gotten rid of once you’re done decluttering your home.

Need some help getting started? I’ve put together a little list of 50 things you can
toss or donate today to get you thinking about WHAT and WHERE you can
declutter. Once you’ve gained a little momentum and filled up 3 bags, you’ll be
ready for more decluttering.

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 50 Things You Can Toss Today

1. old magazines
2. cd cases
3. unused electronics
4. duplicate photos
5. old negatives and film cartridges
6. chargers that don’t have a device
7. cords that you don’t know where they go
8. books you haven’t opened in over a year
9. old makeup
10. old toiletries
11. old nail polish
12. tattered towels
13. worn sheets
14. old cleaning supplies
15. old bags and purses
16. art supplies that aren’t being used
17. toys with missing parts
18. toys that aren’t being played with
19. kids’ clothes with holes or visible wear
20. games and puzzles with missing pieces
21. shoes you no longer wear
22. worn clothing
23. socks with holes
24. dry cleaning hangers
25. any undergarment that has lost its elasticity
26. old paint and stain
27. expired coupons and gift certificates

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 28. costume jewelry
29. holiday decorations no longer used
30. unused hangers
31. unused pots and pans
32. unused or duplicate small appliances
33. kitchen glassware that isn’t being used
34. kitchen dishes that aren’t being used
35. jars that you’ve saved and haven’t used
36. water bottles that are past their prime
37. herbs and spices past their prime
38. food storage lids or containers without a match
39. expired food and canned goods
40. plastic shopping bags
41. manuals to items you no longer own
42. duplicates – anything that you have more than one of
43. junk mail
44. holiday decorations
45. phone books
46. unusable gift bags and tissue paper
47. old calendars and planners
48. old notebooks
49. unfinished projects
50. greeting cards

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 THE DECLUTTER PROCESS
Anytime you start decluttering, follow this process. This declutter process will not
only keep you on task, but it will also ensure that you move as quickly as possible
through the mess and get to the other side with a simple and decluttered space.
Start by making a declutter station with boxes or bins or garbage bags that are
labeled and ready to accept items. Don’t buy anything for this, use what you
have on hand and get started right away. Print out the four category labels in
Part 6 to help guide you through the declutter process.

1. MAKE 4 categories - keep, toss, relocate, donate - use a box, basket, bag,
bin to contain them while you’re decluttering. Once you have your clutter
station set up with your categories, you’re ready to get started decluttering
your home.
2. COMPLETELY empty the space – regardless of if it’s a box, a closet, an entire
room, or a drawer, remove everything in the space FIRST. Put the items on
the floor, a bed, a table…quickly move them out of the space so you can
get started.
3. THINK QUICKLY as you sort through your items. Think about the space you
have and what you want it to look like when you’re done. Do you really
need x, y, z to move forward in life or can you let it go?
4. Put everything into your categories - keep, toss, relocate, donate – put
away any items that were in the keep pile, toss what can be tossed,
relocate what can be relocated, and put the donate items in a bin or bag
for a trip to your favorite donation center.
5. Wipe down any surfaces and vacuum if necessary.
6. Arrange items in a way that makes sense for your home and space and
admire your transformation!

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Decluttering can be a complicated process and it most definitely won’t be done
overnight – give yourself grace and time to work through the process. To avoid
the overwhelm that comes with decluttering, you’ll notice that I use a very
specific declutter order. I recommend following it as closely as you can. The
order will help you declutter in the simplest and most effective way. Just follow
along with the list below and/or the checklist in Part 6 you’ll be moving along in
no time! Work your way through the list with one item a day or for a specified time
– use the list in a way that makes sense for you and your schedule. You’ll also find
a weekly and monthly declutter calendar in Part 6 – use these if you feel like you
need to get that plan on paper for the week or month. If productivity is your love
language, you’ll love using these calendars!

DECLUTTER JUMPSTART
Start with these 7 declutter tasks – they’re designed to get you started quickly and
with ease. I recommend starting with one task a day as you’re getting in the
groove, but feel free to move at a quicker or slower pace as you get started.
These 7 tasks will help jumpstart the decluttering process in a realistic and doable
way.

Whole House Quick Declutter: You might have already done this, do it again
quickly or move on to the floor declutter. Start by setting a timer for 10-30 minutes
and see how much stuff you can find and get rid of – aim for 3 bags. Toss, donate
or sell your findings – this should be stuff you can get out of the house as quickly
as possible.

Floor Declutter: Set a timer for 10-30 minutes and gather everything that you can
remove from the floors. This might be clothing, bins, trash, anything that doesn’t
belong on the floor. Quickly remove it and put it where it belongs or get rid of it.

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Surface Declutter: Set a timer for 10-30 minutes and see how much stuff you can
find and get clear from surfaces. If you feel overwhelmed, pick one surface and
completely clear it (coffee table, kitchen table, kitchen counters, desk, etc.).
Taking that visual noise out of the equation makes a huge difference! Once
you’ve cleared one surface, wipe it clean and leave that surface empty for a bit
before you put anything back.

Sort paper piles - If you have more than one, start with the worst offender and go
from there. When sorting paper piles you will have 3 categories: toss/recycle, file,
and shred. Print out the three category labels in Part 6 to help guide you through
the paper declutter process.

Shred papers - Shred those papers from your paper piles. If you don’t have a
shredder, call your local bank or community center to see when they have a
shredding day and save your confidential papers for that time.

File paperwork - File paperwork from your sorting the last couple days. Don’t get
bogged down with the process of setting up a filing system if you don’t one yet.
Start with an in and out basket or a paid and not paid basket or bin. A plan for
paper will come later in the handbook and you’ll have plenty of time to work on
it then.

Sort mail daily - Start with today’s mail and sort it as soon as it comes in. Going
forward, continue with this simple habit and you’ll find that paper clutter will be
at a minimum.

Once you’ve completed the declutter jumpstart you’re ready to move on to

more specific and targeted decluttering. This will take you through your entire
home – take the time you need to make it through the list but try not to drag it out

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too long. Make progress and move quickly through the list and no matter what,
keep going and don’t forget to mark your clutter progress on the Clutter Checklist!

DECLUTTER ORDER
Follow this order for decluttering your home – complete it in a way that makes
sense for your schedule. Some recommendations: one task a day, set a timer for
10-15 minutes, or 2-3 tasks a day until completed. This order matters because it
will take you through the house in a logical, sequential, and efficient way. Use the
checklist in Part 6 to keep you on track.

CLEANING SUPPLIES
cleaning supplies
cleaning tools – scrub brushes, sponges, rags, etc.

LAUNDRY AREA
fold and put away any clothes
laundry baskets
laundry products
clear + clean surfaces

KITCHEN
clear + clean kitchen counters
refrigerator
freezer
kitchen cabinets
kitchen drawers
pantry or food storage area
kitchen tools + small appliances
under kitchen sink
kitchen towels

BATHROOM(S)
clear + clean bathroom counters
bathroom cabinets
bathroom drawers
medicine cabinet
toiletries and makeup
bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths

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CLOTHING
shoes
outerwear – coats, hats, gloves, etc.
clothing – sort by season and type

BEDROOMS
declutter floors
under beds
sheets and linens
pillows
bedside tables

ENTERTAINMENT
music – digital and/or cds, tapes, records
games – board games, card games
books – cookbooks, non-fiction, fiction
magazines

KIDS
clothing
toys
books
activities
art + craft supplies

OFFICE SPACE
electronics
office supplies
books
paper + files

PAPER CLUTTER
paper pile
bills
photographs
memorabilia
kids art work and school memories

DIGITAL CLUTTER
set up email folders to save emails
zero out email inbox

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 put important digital documents in folders
separate photos by year and store in cloud storage

GARAGE, BASEMENT or STORAGE

vehicle(s)
tool storage
boxes and bins with additional stored items

clutter task checklist

Use this space to break down decluttering tasks into manageable steps. You’ll find a blank Clutter
Task Checklist in Part 6 – use it for your difficult to declutter areas or areas that you feel need more
thought.

MASTER BEDROOM CLOSET

remove clothes – declutter while removing clothing ü

empty and wipe down shelves ü

put clothes back – arrange by season/type ü

return shoes and other items on shelves ü

vacuum ü
bring donate bags to shelter ü
completed! ü

DECLUTTER PANTRY + FOOD STORAGE

remove food and sort/purge ü

wipe down shelves ü

group like items together – separate baking from cooking ü

label shelves and jars ü

return items to shelves ü
organize items in a way that makes sense ü
completed! ü

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 PUT AN END TO PAPER CLUTTER
I’m a paper person and a list-maker. I love using a paper planner, a homekeeping
binder, a wall calendar, writing hand-written notes and cards…. I tend to err on
the side of more paper than less, but I loathe paper clutter. There’s a difference!
If you want to go completely paperless, go for it! I tend to be more of a paper-
less person. Cut out as much paper as possible and be ruthless about excess
paper in the house BUT have a well thought out plan for paper in place. I call this
paper-less - less paper with well-designed systems in place.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ELIMINATE PAPER CLUTTER, START HERE:

1. Deal with it daily. The #1 secret to keeping paper clutter to a minimum is to

deal with it daily. Processing mail, school papers, and any other paper that
makes its way into your home right away is the best way to keep it from
becoming overwhelming.
2. Get rid of unwanted mail. There’s a free app called PaperKarma – just scan
your unwanted mail, they contact the sender, and the mail is gone. TrustediD
is another company that gets rid of unsolicited magazines and junk mail (for
free). If you’re sick of getting those pre-screened credit offers you can go
to OptOutPreScreen get off that list. Junk mail? Go to
www.directmail.com/junk_mail to register your mailing address and to get off
any lists.
3. Scan important papers. Save them to an external drive or cloud
storage. Here are a couple I like:
Evernote - a way to digitally remember everything
Neat - digital scanning and cloud storage
Doxie - digital scanning made simple
4. Send cards and invitations digitally. I love Minted and Paperless Post is for
darling cards. I use Minted for Christmas cards and keep our address book in
there so they can add it to my cards. When it comes to kids party invitations,

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 I like a quick email invitation with the rsvp included. I do send out handwritten
birthday cards to friends and family – I like that little touch of human
interaction.
5. Store photos digitally. I use Shutterfly and DropBox, but there are lots of
options out there for slimming down the picture stacks. Print a book once
every year or two and you’ll be on your way to keeping those photos
updated. If you’re behind, start with the current year and work backwards.
6. Store pdfs and printables digitally. I store pdfs in Dropbox too. Set up a folder
for each category and you can quickly find any printables you need. With
everything stored in the cloud, it can be found on any device. You can use
printables paperless with an app like Notability. Use an app to digitally write
on your pdfs and you can take your notes with you anywhere. Not only is this
a great way to save on the paper trail but it also gives your pdfs portability.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GOING PAPER-LESS:

• Scan what can be saved digitally
• Shred paper that doesn’t need to be saved weekly or monthly
• Switch to electronic bank statements and bills
• Open mail when you receive it and open it over the recycling bin
• Process that opened mail immediately – use 2 baskets to process things you
can deal with now and things that need to be dealt with later
• Opt out of junk mail
• Kids art work – save the best or save things that have special meaning – I
save anything and everything with their darling little handprints
• Photos – save them digitally on a photo storage site and print books yearly
• Manuals – keep them in a flexible file folder for easy access

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 A PLAN FOR PAPER
Do you feel like this is a true statement for yourself? If I didn’t have any incoming
paper, I probably wouldn’t have any clutter issues. I think that many of us
probably would have much less of a clutter problem if paper wasn’t a variable.
That said, paper is something that we all deal with, so let’s figure out how to
minimize it in our lives quickly and with minimal disruption to our daily systems. I’ve
put together a checklist for you to go through to quickly and easily end your
paper clutter. If you are going through The Clutter Handbook from the beginning,
you have already dealt with a little paper clutter. I hope that that has given you
a different angle on what it can be like to get rid of the paper piles. Follow along
with my paper clutter checklist below and also in Part 6 in order and you’ll find
that paper will no longer take over in your home. Ready?

PAPER CLUTTER CHECKLIST

THREE CATEGORIES FOR ALL PAPER
1. TOSS – recycle or trash
2. FILE – put this in a place for safekeeping
3. SHRED – don’t need this and no one else does

SET UP A SIMPLE FILING SYSTEM – CHOOSE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU:

1. IN + OUT baskets (anything that you are processing goes in ‘in’ and
anything that you need to bring/send somewhere goes in ‘out’)
2. INVITATIONS, SCHOOL/WORK, IN PROCESS (invitations go in invitations,
anything school or work related (permission slips, schedules, etc.) goes in
school/work, and anything that’s still being dealt with goes in in process)
3. BY NAME – everyone gets their own folder and they deal with what’s in it
weekly (this is harder to control but can work!)

CURRENT PAPER CLUTTER

o paper pile – go through any existing paper piles
o bills – sort current bills that you haven’t dealt with yet
o magazines, catalogs, and newspapers – get rid of what you can

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 o school schedules and information – put important dates on your calendar
and toss papers
o file any invitations and information that will be needed later in your
processing or out folder

MEMORABILIA
o birthday cards
o holiday cards
o go through photographs (within the current year)
o kids art work and school memories
o old magazines, newspaper clippings, other paraphernalia
o family pictures 1-5 years old
o family pictures 6-10 years old
o family pictures over 10 years old
o yearbooks
o newspaper clippings
o extended family pictures

FILING SYSTEM
o Set up a long term filing system that works for you and will be easy to
maintain going forward. This is where you’ll be keeping things like insurance
information, tax returns, healthcare, etc. Use a filing cabinet or box and
label your files as you set it up. Then set up a time weekly or monthly to
quickly file your paperwork.
o Set up CATEGORIES - My suggestion for categories is pretty straightforward
- use a different color hanging file for each category. Use this as a guide
for your own organization of important documents. You might have more
or less categories and files, this is merely a recommendation and starting
point.
o Set up SUBCATEGORIES - break down the categories into specific
SUBCATEGORIES. I recommend alphabetizing the subcategories but keep
each subcategory in line so you can add or take away files and it won’t
mess up the system. Go to the Filing System Guide in section 6 for more on
my recommended categories, subcategories, and set up.

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 How long to keep it for guidelines
Use these guidelines as you are sorting through paper clutter.

1 MONTH
receipts (non-deductible items)
deposit/atm slips
reconciled bank statements

1-3 YEARS
checkbook ledgers
paycheck stubs
mortgage statements
insurance records (expired)
charitable contributions
all business + income related documents
proof of deductible purchases
receipts for charitable donations

AT LEAST 7 YEARS
state + federal income tax returns
w-2 + 1099s
medical bills + statements
contracts
any receipts that were used as tax deductions
canceled checks
mileage records
real estate tax forms + records
the IRS recommends keeping tax supporting documents for at least 6 years.

FOREVER
birth certificates + passports
marriage/divorce papers
auto titles
mortgages
investment statements
home improvement receipts from major purchases (for insurance)
wills
medical records
educations records
pension + retirement plans
contracts + property agreements

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 MAINTAINING A DECLUTTERED HOME

If you have completed the tasks in The Clutter Handbook or if you’re just reading
through it first, I’d like you to see if you can relate to at least one of these
statements:

§ You are always trying to de-clutter.

§ You struggle with too much stuff.
§ You feel crabby when things are left out around the house.
§ You can’t find things quickly.
§ You have threatened to throw out or give away everything.

Anything resonate? Chances are you can benefit from ONE TASK that will help
you and your family keep your home clutter-free and decluttered moving
forward. Having a decluttered home WILL change how your home looks, feels,
and functions. Here’s the one task you need to adopt as a mantra or a rule for
every single person in your home…..

TAKE IT OUT, PUT IT AWAY.

This super simple concept will save time and energy every single day when it is
put into practice. Now that you have decluttered your home, you know that you
don’t want to go back to the cluttered mess that it was. Change your mindset, if
you’re running from one place to another or rushing around, it’s so much easier
to just leave that makeup on the counter, those toys on the floor, the dishes on
the sink, etc. Think about how much time you’d save if things where were they
belonged AND think about how you’d feel if your house felt less cluttered and
messy.

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START HERE:

§ WORST CASE SCENARIO - If your home is cluttered and needs some attention
immediately, grab three garbage bags and load them up with things to
donate or toss. Still cluttered? Repeat until you can see the floor and you feel
less overwhelmed with the current situation. Go through The Clutter
Handbook and you’ll be on your way to a decluttered home in no time.
§ BEST CASE SCENARIO – You’ve gone through The Clutter Handbook and you
simply have a couple scattered things that need to be put away, run around
and gather them up in a small laundry basket and put them in their proper
places. Enlist help from other members of your family and get it done in a
hurry.
§ SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN - Grab a garbage bag and fill it up with things to toss
or donate. Fill a small laundry basket with things that need to be relocated
and put them away.

MAINTENANCE:

§ TAKE IT OUT, PUT IT AWAY - Put this simple phrase into practice. Think about it
throughout the day and really try to put things away as you take them out or
bring them into the house. Teach your kids how to put this into practice as
well by enforcing the rule throughout the day. It’s amazing what a difference
it will make!
§ CLUTTER - Take care of it daily. Every single day of the week take a couple
minutes to put things away. For kids, a nightly quick cleanup is helpful for
putting the habit into practice. If you notice on my cleaning routine, CLUTTER
appears daily. That’s because it needs to be dealt with on a daily basis.
§ MAIL - Mail and paper have a way of multiplying if they aren’t dealt with
daily. When you bring the mail in, process it. When the kids bring home
papers, process them. Don’t let the paper pile up or it will take over your
counters and kitchen table.

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 SYSTEMS TO PUT IN PLACE
Moving forward, you will need to put some systems in place to keep your home
decluttered. I recommend starting with the following FIVE systems for a
decluttered home. Once you have those systems in place and they’re working,
add more systems slowly. The key to any new system is to make sure that it’s filling
a void – towels are on the floor in the bathroom because there isn’t a hook on
the door to hang them up. Put a hook up and you’re solving the clutter problem.
Kids backpacks are strewn from one end of the mudroom to the next – put a
basket in the corner for the backpacks and lunchboxes. Getting rid of clutter is
all about finding solutions and showing your family members how to fix the
problem themselves. In Part 6, I have a page linked for my favorite systems and
products – I hope it helps you get started!

FIVE SYSTEMS TO START WITH FOR A DECLUTTERED HOME

o command center with family calendar
o filing cabinet – details in Part 4 of this handbook
o place for keys – decorative dish, bowl or hanging system
o small laundry basket for each family member
o donation basket – keep a basket or box in a well-known place for your
family to drop anything that can be donated

MORE SYSTEMS TO ADD FOR A DECLUTTERED HOME

o place a hook in each bathroom to hang bath towels to keep them off the
floor
o planner – paper or digital
o homekeeping binder
o filing box for kids’ important papers and memorabilia – use file folders and
keep this paper to a minimum

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 o magazine basket (if you’re a catalog and magazine ‘person’ this is a must
o lunch packing station – keep the supplies in one spot
o caddy under the sink for bathroom cleaning supplies
o container, basket, or bag for reusable shopping or cooler bags
o sink side tray to store hand and dish soap – this can be helpful to keep
supplies contained in the kitchen and bathroom
o tray for laundry detergent and softener
o basket or container for remote controls
o tray or basket for makeup and toiletries
o tray or basket for shoes and boots
o charging station for phones and tablets
o box for batteries
o container for cords that aren’t used daily – label them first
o dish or basket on bedside table for keeping jewelry, lotion, essential oils,
books, etc.

I hope you’re feeling enlightened and like you CAN have a decluttered home!
I love living with less stuff and I can tell you that the benefits far outweigh any
hassle and time that you put into decluttering your home. You will gain time,
energy, and peace of mind moving forward!

happy decluttering!

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 RESOURCES

As you declutter your home you should be eliminating things that you no longer
use, need, or love. That process is both liberating and exciting, but it can also be
extremely difficult. Instead of filling up those empty spaces with more stuff, live
with less and enjoy the white space.

Throughout The Clutter Handbook I talk about specific systems that work and help
to maintain a decluttered home. I’ve set up a page full of resources for you to
check out – you’ll find everything from websites that offer free services to remove
you from mailing lists to my favorite websites for eliminating paper clutter. I also
include some favorite tools and products that have helped my family get rid of
clutter. Please check out the page – it’s free for you to use and find out even
more ways to keep that clutter away. You’ll find that the page goes in the same
order of the book – you might need to peek at it a few times as you read. I hope
you find it helpful!

THE CLUTTER HANDBOOK resource page:

https://www.cleanmama.net/the-clutter-handbook

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 Clutter checklist

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 Keep
LOVE IT, USE IT, OR NEED IT

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 Toss
RECYCLE OR TRASH

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 Donate
DON’T LOVE IT, NEED IT, OR USE IT BUT
SOMEONE ELSE COULD

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 Relocate
STILL LOVE IT, USE IT, OR NEED IT BUT IT
DOESN’T BELONG HERE

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 Toss
(paper)
RECYCLE OR TRASH

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 file
(paper)
PUT THIS IN A PLACE FOR SAFEKEEPING

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 SHRED
(paper)
DON’T NEED THIS + NO ONE ELSE DOES

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 clutter task checklist

completed!

completed!

completed!

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 Declutter order checklist

DECLUTTER JUMPSTART
o whole house quick declutter - 3 bags out of the house
o floor declutter – pick up anything you can off the floors
o surface declutter – clear surfaces + declutter
o sort paper pile(s) from the last month or so
o shred papers – shred papers from paper pile
o file paperwork – file any paper work
o sort mail daily – do this moving forward as you’re decluttering

CLEANING SUPPLIES
o cleaning supplies
o cleaning tools – scrub brushes, sponges, rags, etc.

LAUNDRY AREA
o fold and put away any clothes
o laundry baskets + products
o clear + clean surfaces

KITCHEN
o clear + clean kitchen counters
o refrigerator
o freezer
o kitchen cabinets
o kitchen drawers
o pantry or food storage area
o kitchen tools + small appliances
o under kitchen sink
o kitchen towels

BATHROOM(S)
o clear + clean bathroom counters
o bathroom cabinets
o bathroom drawers
o medicine cabinet
o toiletries and makeup
o bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths

CLOTHING
o shoes
o outerwear – coats, hats, gloves, etc.

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 o clothing – sort by season and type

BEDROOMS
o declutter floors
o under beds
o sheets and linens
o pillows
o bedside tables

ENTERTAINMENT
o music – digital and/or cds, tapes, records
o games – board games, card games
o books – cookbooks, non-fiction, fiction

KIDS
o clothing
o toys
o books
o art + craft supplies
o games
o activities + kits

OFFICE SPACE
o electronics
o office supplies
o books
o paper + files

PAPER CLUTTER
o paper pile
o bills
o magazines
o photographs
o memorabilia
o kids’art work and school memories

DIGITAL CLUTTER
o set up email folders to save emails
o zero out email inbox
o put important digital documents in folders
o separate photos by year and store in cloud storage

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GARAGE, BASEMENT and/or STORAGE
o vehicle(s)
o tool storage
o lawn + garden supplies
o boxes and bins with additional stored items

OTHER
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________
o ________________________________________________________________________

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 paper clutter checklist

THREE CATEGORIES FOR ALL PAPER

4. TOSS – recycle or trash
5. FILE – put this in a place for safekeeping
6. SHRED – don’t need this and no one else does

SET UP A SIMPLE FILING SYSTEM – CHOOSE WHAT WORKS FOR YOU:

4. IN + OUT baskets (anything that you are processing goes in ‘in’ and
anything that you need to bring/send somewhere goes in ‘out’)
5. INVITATIONS, SCHOOL/WORK, IN PROCESS (invitations go in invitations,
anything school or work related (permission slips, schedules, etc.) goes in
school/work, and anything that’s still being dealt with goes in in process)
6. BY NAME – everyone gets their own folder and they deal with what’s in it
weekly (this is harder to control but can work!)

CURRENT PAPER CLUTTER

o paper pile – go through any existing paper piles
o bills – sort current bills that you haven’t dealt with yet
o magazines, catalogs, and newspapers – get rid of what you can
o school schedules and information – put important dates on your calendar
and toss papers
o file any invitations and information that will be needed later in your
processing or out folder

MEMORABILIA
o birthday cards
o holiday cards
o go through photographs (within the current year)
o kids art work and school memories
o old magazines, newspaper clippings, other paraphernalia
o family pictures 1-5 years old
o family pictures 6-10 years old
o family pictures over 10 years old
o yearbooks
o newspaper clippings
o extended family pictures

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FILING SYSTEM
o Set up a long term filing system that works for you and will be easy to
maintain going forward. This is where you’ll be keeping things like insurance
information, tax returns, healthcare, etc. Use a filing cabinet or box and
label your files as you set it up. Then set up a time weekly or monthly to
quickly file your paperwork.
o Set up CATEGORIES - My suggestion for categories is pretty straightforward
- use a different color hanging file for each category. Use this as a guide
for your own organization of important documents. You might have more
or less categories and files, this is merely a recommendation and starting
point.
o Set up SUBCATEGORIES - break down the categories into specific
SUBCATEGORIES. I recommend alphabetizing the subcategories but keep
each subcategory in line so you can add or take away files and it won’t
mess up the system. Go to the Filing System Guide in section 6 for more on
my recommended categories, subcategories, and set up.

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Clutter calendar for the week of:

TIME MON TUE WED Thu FRI sat sun

6:00
6:30
7:00
7:30
8:00
8:30
9:00
9:30
10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
1:00
1:30
2:00
2:30
3:00
3:30
4:00
4:30
5:00
5:30
6:00
6:30
7:00
7:30
8:00
8:30
9:00
9:30
10:00
Total

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Clutter calendar for the MONTH of:

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NOTES:

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 FILING SYSTEM guide

CATEGORIES:
MONEY
TAXES
MEDICAL
HOME + AUTO (together in the file cabinet, but separate subcategories)
BUSINESS

SUBCATEGORIES:
MONEY
January-December – separate file for each month for the year
bank account : bank name (separate file for each account)
credit card : credit card name (separate file for each account)
loan : loan name (separate file for each account)
paid off : any bill, loan or credit card that is paid off in full for the current year

TAXES
paystubs : person (separate file for each account)
retirement : person (separate file for each account)
tax : deductions
tax: donations
tax : expenses
tax return : current year – 2010 – separate folder for each year

MEDICAL
one for each family member
medical : dental
medical : prescriptions
medical : vision
paid : doctors’ bills

INSURANCE
insurance : accidents
insurance : autos
insurance : homeowners
insurance : life
insurance : personal articles

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HOME
home : address
home : improvements
home : landscaping
home : mortgage
home : warranties

AUTO
auto : service
auto : one for each car

BUSINESS
licenses : one for each
contracts : by company name

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